If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Announcement

Collapse

Terms of Use Agreement

1. You agree, through your use of these public Forums, not to post any material which is unlawful, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, sexually orientated, abusive, hateful, harassing, threatening, harmful, invasive of privacy or publicity rights, inflammatory or otherwise objectionable. You also agree not to post any copyrighted material unless the copyright is owned by you. You further agree not to use these public Forums for advertising or other commercial enterprise purposes. Any questions directed to, or concerning the administration of this website, will be sent to admin@popasmoke.com and not posted to the public Forums.

2. All postings express the views of the author, and neither the administrators nor POPASMOKE will be held responsible for the content of any postings submitted by the Members or anyone else. The administrators of these Forums reserve the right to remove, edit, move or close any postings for any reason. Members who make postings on the Forums which are not in accordance with the Terms of Use Agreement, risk having their posting privileges withdrawn.

CAMP BASTION, Afghanistan — The Marines of Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 363 filled the pews of a small chapel at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, to bid farewell to six fallen brothers, Jan. 24.

In a somber scene, coalition forces gathered to memorialize the six Marines with the squadron who died when their CH-53D Sea Stallion heavy-lift helicopter crashed supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan, Jan. 19.

­­“It is difficult to be here, easier to suppress our emotions and move on with our daily routine,” said Lt. Col. Mark Revor, commanding officer of Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 363, in his remarks at the ceremony. “It is difficult because they were more than friends, more than family – they were our brothers and our comrades.”

A few hundred yards from the chapel, outside the squadron’s hangar, the American flag flew at half-staff beside the squadron’s sign depicting their logo, “The Lucky Red Lions.”

“It’s hard to feel lucky today, but I know that I could not describe [it] better than to say I was lucky to serve with these men, lucky to have known them as well as I did,” said Revor, “and I will be lucky indeed if I can brighten the days and nights of my friends the way that they brightened mine.”

As the aviation combat element for the southwestern regional command of NATO’s International Security Assistance Force, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) offers air support for coalition forces operating in Helmand and Nimruz provinces.

While the Jan. 19 crash is currently under investigation, NATO officials said there were no signs of enemy activity in the area at the time of the incident.

“Every Marine in this squadron understands the dangers of our job, but that doesn’t make it any easier when something like this happens,” Green said. “People are shocked, people are upset and people are hurt. We still have a mission to do, and it’s not done until we’re heading back home to Hawaii.”